


Connected

by Omgpeachsnapple



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fun, Gen, Humor, Other, Tickle Fights, very very slight eren/mikasa - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 12:12:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6906583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omgpeachsnapple/pseuds/Omgpeachsnapple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Sasha who started the fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connected

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a very, very long time and it shows. But this idea got stuck in my head the other day. Hope you enjoy it.

Connected  
2016

—

Because everyone, everywhere, is connected  
So that when you're thinking of these words, I already am

Ah, how many precious words can we exchange  
By the time we someday fall into an eternal sleep?

—  
It was Sasha who started the fight.

Yawning loudly, bored, she’d thrown her arms above her head in a languid stretch, inching innocently closer to an unsuspecting Connie; he was happily chatting at Jean, whose eyes were slightly glazed over.

Slowly, Sasha lowered her arms and her hands hovered briefly above Connie’s shoulders. Her eyes darted around the room and locked with Eren’s disapproving green gaze. He was leaning against a far wall, his arms folded, scowling heavily. Unperturbed, Sasha winked at him before slipping her fingers into Connie’s armpit and proceeding with her attack.

Connie shrieked and leapt into the air, colliding with Jean and letting out a bark of laughter. 

“Oy!” Jean shouted, knocked out of his reverie. “What’s the big idea, Connie?”

“Me?” Connie snapped incredulously, “It was —‘’

He hesitated as he whirled around. Sasha puffed out her cheeks and pointed at Mina. The other girl blushed.

“N-no,” she stammered, holding out her hands but Connie sprung at her, mercilessly tickling her sides. Krista hopped on Connie’s back in defense of Mina, the three of them laughing wildly. Ymir dove for Krista, catching her behind the knee. Marco jumped in next, and then Bertholdt, then Reiner. Thomas was clearly feeling very brave and he made to move toward Annie, who raised an eyebrow at him. He swallowed hard and grinned uneasily before being hooked around the neck by Reiner. Sasha stood nearby, rocking on her heels and looking very pleased with the chaos before her. Connie emerged from the fray briefly to seize her and, laughing, they both disappeared into the cackling tangle of arms and legs. 

Armin glanced up from his book, his lips pursed in amusement and then returned his attention to his reading. 

Now the only cadets left were Annie (but no one dared approach her again), Mikasa, Jean, and Eren. Jean took a breath to steady himself and then reached for Mikasa. She blinked slowly at him before darting out of reach, quick as lightning. She wasn't looking behind her, however, and she collided with Eren, who caught her deftly. Holding her gently by the shoulders to steady her, Eren frowned, unamused by his comrades antics. 

He knew he ought to lecture them on their stupid behavior; here they all were, wasting time when they should be practicing, researching, doing something productive. He opened his mouth to snarl at his idiot friends when he caught a glimpse of Mikasa's expression.

She was smiling. 

It was hard to see, with her face half hidden by his scarf, but her eyes were crinkled and sparkled with a rare amusement. She glanced up at Eren. Butterflies danced around in his stomach as his gaze met hers, which irritated him. He noted vaguely he was still holding her, which irritated him further. Dropping his hands and stepping away from her, Eren shifted his gaze from Mikasa, to Armin, who was no longer reading but laughing as he watched the others, to the rest of the trainees and allowed himself a small smile. Maybe it was okay to relax. They would be graduating in two days. They might not see each other for a long time, if ever again. 

"Argh," Eren groaned, seizing Mikasa's hand as he strode forward and knocked the book out of Armin's hands. He grabbed the smaller boy's wrist and, tugging both his friends, jumped into the fray. 

They were all laughing so loudly, so freely, the trainees missed the sound of the door to the mess hall opening and their instructor clearing his throat several times. 

"WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE?!" he at last bellowed. His severe expression was deadly as he eyed the group of miscreants. 

Jean shrieked and the rest of the group sprang to attention, all of them saluting with their eyes squeezed shut, hoping for a quick, relatively painless punishment. Eren peeked through one eye, surprised to see a flash of amusement flicker across Shadis's cold face. But it was there and gone so fast Eren was sure he'd imagined it. 

"WELL?!" Shadis demanded of the trainees. They stayed silent, unsure how to explain themselves, until, at last, Sasha piped up. 

"Sir! We were practicing being on our guard at all times!" she declared, twisting her body into a bastardized crane pose. 

Shadis sneered at her, leaning in so close his nose touched hers. Sasha swallowed hard. 

"Indeed," he murmured, straightening up at last. Sasha relaxed into her salute, although she seemed a little wilted. "Idiots. Go to bed."

The class let out a collective sigh of relief as Shadis slammed the mess hall door shut behind him. Through the door, he heard their relieved laughter, uncertain little titters. 

He closed his eyes as he leaned against the door. 

He knew he should have punished them, the whole lot of them. Should have made them skip all their meals the next day and run laps until they dropped like little fleas. 

They were graduating soon. And soon after that, most of them would be dead. Another Titan attack was coming, he could feel it. It was just a matter of time. 

And so, Keith Shadis straightened and walked down the steps. He allowed those soldiers, those children, one night of indulgence. One night of silliness. One night of simply being human. 


End file.
